We know he beat the GREATEST, but not really the greatest so Who's the best heavyweight that PRIME Larry Holmes could have beaten?
I’d give him chances at prime Foreman, Lewis and Louis to start with. Keep in mind I’m not exactly “ favoring “ him over these guy but giving him a good chance.
Maybe it's easier this way: the only fighters I see beating Holmes prime for prime would be 1964 to FOTC Ali, FOTC Frazier, and prime Joe Louis.
Yes I've said that myself, that FOTC Frazier would more than likely best him. Joe was on fire that night.
The greatest he COULD beat is a prime Ali. Not that I'd necessarily favor him or give him a particularly good chance, but he COULD win.
Greatest fighter he could beat...? Take your pick. He could beat any fighter ever, at least once, if his stars aligned. Not many guys could say that. Not saying he'd beat them every time but there's nobody - and I include Ali, Louis, Frazier, Foreman, Liston, Lewis, Fury, Wlad, Dempsey, Johnson, Tyson, Marciano - that he doesn't beat at least once in a five fight series. A few of those beat him more often than he beats them but nobody was so superior to him that they sweep the board in my opinion.
Any quite frankly. No fighter has ever drawn breath, who could be considered anything more than a favorite over him. If you want to install say Louis, Ali, Frazier, or Tyson as a favorite, that is perfectly reasonable, but you are not going to be confident about the outcome.
I agree with those saying he could beat anybody. Although sometimes over-rated (especially by himself), he’s on that level. Probably the one great fighter I’d give him the lowest chance of beating is Frazier.
On a given day peak Larry Holmes could beat any heavyweight fighter ever born of a woman. I have him third all time on my list behind Ali and Louis.
All of them? Would beat more often than not is tricky, that'd go to prime Foreman or 1919 Dempsey (whom i rank 4th and 6th in my greatest heavyweights lists respectively)
It's impossible for me to argue that, my friend. Knocking out Foreman and beating Frazier and Norton are plenty to credit that assertion.